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Episode 1067

The 90% Model: Dr. Ram Charan on China's Manufacturing War

March 30, 2026
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About the Guest

Dr. Ram Charan

Global Advisor to CEOs & Corporate Boards | Bestselling Author
Ram Charan is a world-renowned business advisor, author, and speaker. Fortune magazine has called him "the most influential consultant alive." For over 40 years, he has worked with top companies, CEOs, and boards, translating complex global forces into practical, actionable guidance. His client work spans Toyota, Bank of America, Novartis, Humana, Fast Retailing (Uniqlo), and many others. He has coached dozens of leaders who went on to become CEOs. Charan's business education began early, working in his family's shoe shop in northern India. He went on to earn his MBA and doctorate from Harvard Business School, graduating with high distinction as a Baker Scholar. He has authored over 30 books, selling more than 4 million copies in over a dozen languages. Three were Wall Street Journal bestsellers, and Execution, co-authored with former Honeywell CEO Larry Bossidy, spent more than 150 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. His latest book is "China's 90% Model". He is a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources and has served on the Blue Ribbon Commission on Corporate Governance.

Episode Overview

China is competing on control. In this episode, Ram Charan explains the “90% Model,” a strategy designed to dominate global manufacturing through scale, pricing power, and long-term positioning.

Drawing on decades advising CEOs and global leaders, Charan breaks down how this model is reshaping industries—and what it means for business leaders navigating a fragmented, multi-polar world.

Key insights include:

  • Why China is willing to lose money to gain global dominance
  • How “asset-light” strategies weakened Western manufacturing
  • What CEOs must do to redesign supply chains for resilience
  • Why AI should be treated as a tool—not a strategy
  • How leadership must evolve in an era of unprecedented scale and speed
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